Bands: Which "Period" do you like best?

[Flick James]

I like the "best album" thread quite a bit, and thought I would take a slightly different angle with this one. Some bands or artists that have been around a while have distinct periods or phases. Sometimes it's a singer, such as Van Halen with David Lee Roth or Van Hagar, or AC/DC with Bon Scott or with Brian Johnson. Sometimes it's a distinct stylistic period, such as David Bowie's different incarnations or Tom Waits' 70's blues/jazz period vs his 80's avant garde period.

So, pick a band or artist you love who has had distinct periods to their career and what period you like best.

I'll start with the aforementioned AC/DC. No disrespect to Brian Johnson, and Back in Black is truly a landmark album both for them AND for rock and roll in general. However, for me, the Bon Scott era is infintely superior overall.

[akiratubo]

I like the Sammy Hagar era of Van Halen the best.  The songs Sammy wrote and performed for the group were much more mature, musically and lyrically, than the songs of the David Lee Roth era.  Plus, I just like Sammy as a front man more than Roth.  Roth's antics were much like the annoying little kid who was always saying, "Hey!  Look at me!  Look!"  Hagar was a more confident and charismatic stage presence.

Although my favorite Van Halen song is a Roth song, I much prefer the Hagar period overall.

[HappyGilmore]

The Misfits have had several 'eras' or 'periods'.  I much prefer the somewhat original lineup from the late '70s-early '80s.  Danzig had a great voice, and many critics noted how he could sound a bit like Elvis and add a touch of rockabilly for being a horror punk band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LOaEzmaPfU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChjZqbwDVFg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F39UP1mjAnc

The later eras, while I still liked them, were more heavy metal and had a lot of fighting.
Here's one with Michale Graves singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgSLz5FeXUg&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL6D153AF09348B929
Graves wasn't a bad singer by any means...but well, give me the originals.  This is more heavy metal (I like metal, but the Misfits are punk)

Then, they ousted Graves, and bassist Jerry Only took over, adding Marky Ramone on drums and Dez Cadena from Black Flag:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmhgc-LpqQo

[zombie no.one]

I'll start with the aforementioned AC/DC. No disrespect to Brian Johnson, and Back in Black is truly a landmark album both for them AND for rock and roll in general. However, for me, the Bon Scott era is infintely superior overall.

couldn't agree more, although that's not to say I dislike the brian johnson era, but bon scott was much more charismatic and versatile, for example compare his vocals on tracks like Little Lover and Ride On to his vocals on Beating Around The Bush or Kicked In The Teeth.  brian jonson literally sounds the same on every song.

[voltron]

Early Metallica. Obvious but true. 

[claws]

Early Prince (1979-1982). He was at his most creative and made some amazing music.

[Mofo Rising]

Well, not to get all college rock, but I'm going to talk about Radiohead.

There first album had the dynamite single "Creep," but most of the rest of it is garbage. Then they discovered that they were really good musicians and released a fantastic album of straightforward pop music, "The Bends."

After that they got a little bit experimental and released their best album "OK Computer." Musically daring, and they really did manage to capture the zeitgeist of the time. Still experimental, but the songs were still meticulously crafted pop songs. Just solid music.

After that they went into hiding, and the next few albums were incredibly abstract. Don't get me wrong, I like them a lot, but their abstruseness was a big step down from "The Bends" and "OK Computer." I like experimental music, but I like a well-crafted song better. It's a shame that a band that was so gifted at churning out pop hits retreated from them.

I get it, I do, but it's still a loss to the listening public.

[Frank81]

Anything before  Rap and Lady  Googoo.    Seriously, It would be the era  I grew in the 60's and  70's. I guess  maybe, half the 80's. After, 1990  or  so, I stopped  paying attention to new stuff or even caring about it.

[zombie no.one]

mid-period beatles i.e. 1965-66, namely the albums Rubber Soul and Revolver. these 2 albums have the most vibrant and fresh sounding songs even today, when the 'rivalry' between Lennon and McCartney was at its most bristling and creative, and before they drew away from each other and effectively worked as solo artists on the band's later albums i.e the White Album.

[ulthar]

I think for most bands that make it big, the early work, when they are hungry, is by far the best.  I love to discover "little known" early gems of popular bands...generally offered by true fans.

One band I know that morphed over time but for whom I really like all eras is B-52s.  I really like their early, "experimental" stuff and I enjoy the post-Ricky Wilson (RIP) more pop oriented party sound stuff as well. 

Another, interestingly from the same college town, who I almost exclusively prefer their older stuff is R.E.M.  After they "hit it big," I pretty much lost interest.  There's some good work there, but for me it started to sound boring.  For me, the downward slide was well apparent by the release of "Green."  "Fables" is probably my favorite R.E.M. album.

KISS - definitely the original line-up, and even then, the first album stands out to me as my personal favorite.

Black Sabbath: the Ozzy years, hands down.

Definitely Bon Scott for AC/DC.

Elvis:  The pre-Vegas years?  I'd have to look more closely at where I'd put the cut-off.

I have not given AiC must of a listen since they started producing again after Layne Staly's death...that will be hard for me (emotionally, not out of some sense of indignation that they are recording again).  I still mourn his loss; what a talented young man.  I guess I owe some loyalty to the band to move forward with them, but ... that's where I am.

What an interesting topic...

[The Gravekeeper]

I'm all over the place. Some days I'll happily listen to 80's metal and punk, some days I'll listen to Classical and Baroque, but lately it's been more semi-experimental contemporary musicians with folk roots who use elements of other genres to create their own distinctive sound. That's been Heather Dale for the most part.

[zombie no.one]

Beach Boys 1965-67 period, when Brian Wilson stopped writing generic 3 chord surf songs and became very complex musically, climaxing with Pet Sounds and the aborted Smile sessions where Brian Wilson had a breakdown. then after that they became a bit safe and 'normal'.

I'm all over the place. Some days I'll happily listen to 80's metal and punk, some days I'll listen to Classical and Baroque, but lately it's been more semi-experimental contemporary musicians with folk roots who use elements of other genres to create their own distinctive sound. That's been Heather Dale for the most part.

this isn't about what genres of music do you like, it's about taking an individual band and saying what era of that band's legacy you prefer (am I right Flick?). two completely different things imo. just saying  

[tracy]

mid-period beatles i.e. 1965-66, namely the albums Rubber Soul and Revolver. these 2 albums have the most vibrant and fresh sounding songs even today, when the 'rivalry' between Lennon and McCartney was at its most bristling and creative, and before they drew away from each other and effectively worked as solo artists on the band's later albums i.e the White Album.

I can definitely agree here.....this was a time of great expansion of sounds,instrumentation and creative lyrics. I think that went into Sgt. Pepper,my favorite Beatles album btw, but even then you could easily see the differences in their musical styles. I personally think The White Album emphasizes this best.

[Allhallowsday]

When I was a baby (nearly literally  ) I loved the early BEATLES records like "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"; we had dozens of 45s including lots of early BEATLES... when I was a teenager, I liked post Revolver BEATLES best (the weirder the better).  Now, I like all of their output, but I like the middle period best: Revolver, Rubber Soul, Help, Beatles For Sale...

Anything before  Rap and Lady  Googoo.    Seriously, It would be the era  I grew in the 60's and  70's. I guess  maybe, half the 80's. After, 1990  or  so, I stopped  paying attention to new stuff or even caring about it.

I'm guilty of that too, not entirely, I have bought BLACK EYED PEAS and GWEN STEFANI and I love AMY WINEHOUSE, but for the most part, modern music is "meh" to me.  I have JOEL WHITBURN's Billboard Top 40 Hits book which goes up through 1987.  I call this book my "bible," and have often commented: "After 1987, I don't give a sh!t."

I think for most bands that make it big, the early work, when they are hungry, is by far the best.  I love to discover "little known" early gems of popular bands...generally offered by true fans.

One band I know that morphed over time but for whom I really like all eras is B-52s.  I really like their early, "experimental" stuff and I enjoy the post-Ricky Wilson (RIP) more pop oriented party sound stuff as well. 

Another, interestingly from the same college town, who I almost exclusively prefer their older stuff is R.E.M.  After they "hit it big," I pretty much lost interest.  There's some good work there, but for me it started to sound boring.  For me, the downward slide was well apparent by the release of "Green."  "Fables" is probably my favorite R.E.M. album.
KISS - definitely the original line-up, and even then, the first album stands out to me as my personal favorite.
Black Sabbath: the Ozzy years, hands down.
Definitely Bon Scott for AC/DC.

Elvis:  The pre-Vegas years?  I'd have to look more closely at where I'd put the cut-off.

I have not given AiC must of a listen since they started producing again after Layne Staly's death...that will be hard for me (emotionally, not out of some sense of indignation that they are recording again).  I still mourn his loss; what a talented young man.  I guess I owe some loyalty to the band to move forward with them, but ... that's where I am.
What an interesting topic...

I agree earlier is better, particularly for ELVIS (who is even interesting with bad material like "Clambake").  I think THE B52s first and second albums are their best, but I like all their incarnations too. 
My favorite R.E.M. is Life's Rich Pageant... and my interest waned after Green.

[Flick James]

My favorite R.E.M. is Life's Rich Pageant... and my interest waned after Green.

That's MY favorite as well. I'm not an enormous R.E.M. fan, but their early work, before mainstream, was pretty good, and Life's Rich Pageant was like a high-water mark for that period. It is truly a remarkable album on several levels.